The present invention relates generally to a first-in first-out controlled environment warehousing system, apparatus and process, and methods of constructing and utilizing the same.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a first-in first-out controlled environment warehousing system, apparatus and method wherein a plurality of modules provide a controlled environment in which the articles to be stored stack up substantially seriatim, and wherein such articles might be gravity-fed from one level to a lower level.
The nomenclature, terminology and phraseology "controlled environment" as used herein is intended to connote an environment wherein predetermined environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, type of gaseous atmosphere, light, darkness, etc., are regulated or controlled.
The nomenclature, terminology and phraseology "environmental condition" as used herein is intended to connote conditions such as temperature, humidity, pressure, type of gaseous atmosphere, light, darkness, etc.
The nomenclature, terminology and phraseology "thermal barrier" as used herein is intended to connote any means, device or barrier for separating and/or insulating the controlled environment from the ambient environment. The thermal barrier may take any one or more of a myriad of possible forms, such as rolling doors, or a wall, sheet, or blast of air having one or more of its environmental conditions controlled or regulated.
The nomenclature, terminology and phraseology "gravity-fed" and "requires only the force of gravitation for conveying" are intended to connote that the feeding and/or conveying occurs or transpires solely or primarily in response to and because of the force of gravity, and that no source of energy, such as an electrical, gas-powered, oil-powered, or coal-powered source, is required in order to achieve the desired feeding or conveying.
Heretofore, or at least up to the advent of the present invention, there has been a desideratum for a warehousing system which would provide a controlled environment for the product or articles to be stored with a minimum of maintenance and energy expended for such controlled environment. Some prior art attempts to achieve the aforesaid desideratum have fallen quite short of their target. However, when to the aforesaid deseratum there are added the additional requirements of a warehousing system which provides storage and removal on a first-in first-out basis, with a minimization of human error, and wherein only the product enters the controlled environment to the exclusion of fork lifts and other loading and unloading equipment, the prior art warehousing techniques are completely inadequate.
Moreover, recent recurring energy crises have been at least partially responsible for the warehousing industry to vociferously express a dire need for obtaining a controlled environment, first-in first-out warehousing system with minimal or reduced operational energy requirements. No completely satisfactory techniques to fulfill the aforementioned dire need have come to the fore.
Without dwelling on a plethora of animadversions concerning the prior art warehousing systems which are mentioned hereinabove, suffice it to say that none of the prior art warehousing developments provide a gravity-fed controlled environment warehousing system which virtually eliminates or minimizes human error, and provides a warehousing system with very significant operational energy savings, decreased maintenance costs, decreased taxes and insurance, and a first-in first-out storage and unloading basis for the product or articles being warehoused. In contrast, the present invention provides a novel warehousing system, apparatus and process which possesses the aforementioned advantages and desirable criteria and parameters. Optionally, the invention provides a system having: means for precluding substantially all light and/or people from a controlled environment in a first passage; a second passage for insulating the first passage from above or below; and/or one or more layers of earth or conventional building materials at least partially insulating the system.